Motivations
by wickedsistah1024
Summary: SHE was the new kid in school. HE was the coolest guy, EVER. And a single dare would change their views not only on things, but of each other as well. *IchiRuki AU*
1. Chapter 1

Wow, when I said I'll have this thing posted a few days after I posted Raining, I didn't mean a week. Sorry~

Another long A/N, and it's semi-important, too…so if you have the patience, please read it.0

**A/N:** School starts tomorrow for me, so I just had to get this posted before life gets busy again.

This is part two of my comeback release, an experimental chapter as I call it. This stems from a very ridiculous idea, and you need not point out how totally crack the idea is because its where the hilarity of the whole fic is based on. If you have read my previous works, you know that I have a poll set up on my profile from a year ago, and this particular plot bunny was one of the choices (and start cussing me now, because this particular choice didn't win the poll, yet I'm too stubborn to give it up XD).

If you haven't read part 1, it's entitled **Raining**, please go check it out. I personally prefer Raining because I kind of have a plot in mind for that one, while I'm still working this one out. But yeah, you readers get to choose which one I should continue (because, I repeat, I CANNOT write both fics at the same time). I really, REALLY need your opinions, people. I need to know if I'm actually doing something worthwhile here, if I am actually GROWING as a writer, or if all this is just one big delusion for me.

I suck at creating OC's, so I kind of messed up Senna's character in here (not a fan, anyway) to fit the role of stereotypical bitch. If you hate Senna-bashing, I beg you, click the back button now.

I guess this is me joining the IchiRuki Highschool AU bandwagon now. Forgive my errors; English isn't my mother tongue and I have no beta.

**Disclaimer: **BLEACH isn't mine.

* * *

School break was finally over, and it was the first day of a new academic year. Students were swarming around the gates like flies over rotten fish, trying to get in before the others in unrestrained excitement to reunite with the friends they haven't seen over the vacation. Stories of how each one of them spent their break were on the tips of everyone's tongue. Either they couldn't get past the giddiness over a guy or girl they have met, or simply couldn't stop themselves from trying to outdo each other (who went to which destination, who spent the most, yadda yadda yadda).

A black sedan suddenly came into view, momentarily halting the progress of the crowd. Everyone who had spent at least a week in Karakura High School knew exactly who rode that particular car. And more than half of those who recognized it worship its passengers and the very ground they walk on.

The car soon came to a complete stop in the school's vast parking lot, the eyes of the majority of the student body present still focused on the people inside the vehicle who would soon make an appearance. Everyone's breath suddenly hitched as the door of the driver's seat opened, a well-polished black shoe slowly stepping out, followed by a tall, muscular body with a mop of unruly black hair. With his signature tattoo on his face, Hisagi Shūhei smirked as he playfully ignored all the attention that was being directed at him, including the swooning from the female population.

The passenger seat's door opened simultaneously with the two back doors as a grim-looking not-a-child-but-not-yet-a-man with shocking white hair and emerald eyes emerged. Hitsugaya Tōshirō, unlike Shūhei's mischievous attempt at naiveté, completely ignored the gawking of the people around him. He looked at the other two that emerged from the back seat, one from each door.

From the right, a maroon head caught everyone's eyes. Kanō Ashido smiled politely, if not somewhat shyly, to no one in particular as he leaned against the car. On the other side, light reflected off a pair of glasses as another lad stepped out of the car and into public view. Ishida Uryū took a few steps away from the vehicle as he adjusted his glasses and scanned the crowd for any familiar face.

All four soon glanced back at the car as the fifth and final passenger prepared to come out. Armed with his brilliant orange hair and infamous scowl, Kurosaki Ichigo took his time getting off the car as he ran a hand through his spiky locks, ignoring—as all the other guys did—the gasps and squeals of the women from the crowd intently watching them.

Four car doors closed at the same time as the five made their way towards the school entrance. The crowd made way for the young lads' passage as they unconsciously parted right in the middle. As soon as they were out of the public's view, loud conversations erupted from their stunned audience.

In the hallway inside the school that suddenly grew quiet as the popular group of males walked past, a loud snort was heard.

"Pfft." A brown-haired boy grimaced dramatically as he watched the lads pass. "Look at them, walking like famous celebrities on a red carpet. Feh, they're just like us! Why do people worship them?" He turned to his two companions, one of which was smiling innocently as he continued to stare at the rapidly retreating group.

"I can't believe this school actually approved their petition for recognition as a campus-wide organization! I mean, who joins an organization for good-looking people?" Asano Keigo continued to rant.

"Why, you did, Asano-kun," the smiling companion, Kojima Mizuiro supplied. "It is quite unfortunate that you got rejected, ne?"

"Mizuiro, you traitor! I have NOT been rejected! I was…overqualified! Look at the members. Hisagi, Hitsugaya… Hah, Kurosaki? They don't hold a candle to my manliness!" Keigo huffed indignantly as he puffed his chest out.

"Need I remind you, Asano-kun, that Ichigo is in fact our friend? And that he was the ONLY ONE who voted for you to be in the club, probably to get you to stop bothering him. Get over it, Asano-kun. Are you not happy that you ended up in Biology Club?" Mizuiro turned to their other companion, the soft-spoken giant Sado Yasutora. "Ne, Chad?"

Chad merely grunted in response as he glanced at the caged bird in his hand. "Let's go to the Biology Room. We have a few things to prepare for this afternoon's orientation."

With that, the three left the still gaping students in the seniors' corridor.

* * *

"Well, what do we have here?" A sugary, high-pitched voice asked.

The lads abruptly stopped walking as a figure came into view. A woman with dark purplish hair tied in a red ribbon made her way towards the group. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and raised a brow. A few girls followed her lead, simultaneously crossing their arms as they put on their sweetest smiles on their perfectly glossed lips.

"Why, Senna-chan, it is nice to see you!" Shūhei greeted rather cheerfully. Tōshirō discreetly rolled his eyes.

"Thank you, Hisagi-kun! It is a rather nice coincidence that we bump into each other this early on in the day!" As this Senna character spoke, her bright orange eyes never left the form of the orange-haired guy who stood there looking out the window with a bored expression on his face, both hands inside his pants' pockets.

"Ah, indeed. You didn't happen to be purposefully waiting…" Shūhei paused as he looked at the sign on top of the classroom door, "…right outside _our _classroom, ne?" he said this with a smile on his face, but his eyes betrayed his seriousness.

"No, of course not, Hisagi-kun! I wouldn't have a way of finding out that this was your classroom!" Senna replied in mock disbelief at his blatant accusation. She finally walked past Shūhei to carefully regard the other four. "Good morning, Hitsugaya-kun, Kanō-kun, Ishida-kun…" Senna blinked a few times as she stared at the last person willing him to meet her eyes, "…Ichigo-kun."

The others merely gave polite nods back, discreetly eyeing the classroom door, silently wishing this was all over so they could sit inside and wait for class to start in peace. Finally, Ichigo let his amber eyes focus on the woman in front of him.

"Aa. Now, can we get this over with? It's too early for this." He walked past Senna and entered the classroom, heading straight for a chair near the windows.

Senna just blinked some more as the others followed Ichigo's lead. While most would have been put out by the cold brushing off, Senna simply smiled and poked her head in the classroom door. "I'll see you at lunch then, Ichigo-kun!"

Shūhei let a snicker slip past his lips at the apparent misinterpretation. When Ichigo said _It's too early for this_, he hadn't meant _I'll see you later_. Unfortunately, that was how Senna understood it.

Uryū smirked. "Ah, lucky. You just got yourself a date, Kurosaki. And on the first day of school no less."

"Shut it, Ishida," was the brief retort.

"You have to admire the girls guts though. How long has she been after you? 3, 4 years?" Shūhei asked.

"Five," Tōshirō corrected. "And it's becoming increasingly annoying constantly running into her everywhere."

"That's because you're secretly hoping to bump into someone else, ne, Shirō-chan?" Ashido spoke for the first time that morning.

"You're better off silent, Kanō," Tōshirō countered.

"Harsh. Anyway, Ichigo what time will the meeting for your test be?" Shūhei asked to lighten the mood.

"Depends on what time Kaien-senpai decides to show up," Ichigo answered without tearing his gaze off the window.

"I can't wait to see what he has in store for you, future president," Shūhei teased.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Shūhei. Kurosaki has to pass the test first," Uryū commented.

Shūhei snorted. "Eh, what's a test of manliness for someone like Ichigo? I'm sure he'll pass it with flying colors." He walked over to Ichigo's desk and gave the orange head an encouraging pat on the back.

"We shall see Shūhei," Uryū said as he stared at the back of Ichigo's head. "We shall see."

* * *

In the hallway, a petite, skinny raven-haired girl looked on in confusion at the students who stared off at some point in the distance towards the far end of the senior corridor. She looked at the spot they were gazing at, but found nothing. She pushed the thick-framed glasses up the bridge of her nose and adjusted the books on her arms. A few students noticed her and gazed questioningly, she assumed, at what she was holding. It was the first day of school, for crying out loud! No one should be holding anything more than a little notebook and a pen. Some weren't even carrying anything at all.

She ignored the gazes sent her way and continued searching for her room. On the paper given by the School Registrar, KH-416 was written together with the schedule of her classes. She looked up at the classroom labels as she walked, being the petite person that she was. 403, 405, 407...She soon realized that she was heading towards the wrong wing of the school—the left, where odd-numbered rooms were located—and made a quick turn to change her course. As soon as she spun around though, she felt herself collide with something solid and promptly fell to the ground with her things scattering everywhere.

"Ouch! Watch where you're going!" Orange eyes glared at Rukia as the owner's "lackeys" eyed the raven-haired girl with apparent distaste.

"Sorry," Rukia mumbled as she searched for her glasses that fell of her face as she touched the ground.

"Whatever. Let's go." The group of girls left Rukia on her own as she finally got a hand on her glasses. She started collecting her books, and when she reached for one, she saw a hand come into view, offering the remaining books with it. Rukia followed the hand and saw a man with spiky dark blue hair that was longer in the back, and a pair of ocean blue eyes.

"Thank you," she whispered as she took her things. She quickly deduced that he wasn't a student because he wasn't wearing the school's official uniform.

"No prob. You new here?" the guy asked.

"Yes. I...just moved into this town," Rukia replied, briefly wondering why he was wasting his time talking to her when he was definitely high profile material.

"I see. What's your name?"

"K-Kuchiki Rukia," she answered as she stared in confusion at the smile—smirk?—forming on the man's lips.

"Nice to meet you, Kuchiki. Are you lost? What room should you be in?" He snatched her registration card where her schedule was written in detail and started walking away. "416? Follow me."

With slight hesitance, Rukia did as she was told. Soon enough, she found herself standing right outside her classroom door. She blinked at the label that read 416 and then turned to regard the man who helped her. "Thank you."

"Yeah, sure." He smiled as he ruffled Rukia's hair and turned to leave. "See you around, Kuchiki!"

He hastily left her staring dumbfoundedly at his retreating form as she tried to smoothen her now tangled locks. Rukia allowed herself to smile a little as she took a deep breath before finally opening the door to her classroom. "Here goes everything." And she walked in.

* * *

"Yosh! Welcome to the first official meeting of this club for this school year. As the incumbent president, it is my job to make sure you guys can handle the responsibilities I'll be leaving you with," a man said as he proudly stood in front of a room that looked more like an office. There were several portraits of good-looking men hanging on the walls, and a few trophies and certificates sat on a shelf.

This was the most popular and most influential all-boys club in Karakura High School that started many, many years back. It was an unbelievably prestigious organization that brings its members not only honor, but benefits as well—fame and reputation being high on the list. This was the Ladies' Men Club, or endearingly called LMC by everyone. The members were well-respected by the teachers and feared by troublemakers. Almost all the girls in school had their eyes on the LMC members, seeing as it was rather hard to gain their attention, especially when there was a group of bullies lurking around claiming to be the club's female counterpart.

LMC wasn't an organization of attention-seeking punks or spoiled rich kids. They were, in fact, geared towards the betterment of the school. And they use their charm for the advancement of this cause. How being another story for another day.

"I am sure you all know me, but for the benefit of everyone, I shall introduce myself. I am Shiba Kaien, the greatest president to have ever graced LMC." He raised his chin and pointed a thumb at himself. Laughter and good-natured eye rolls were the responses.

"Now on to the subject of this meeting. As you all know, before the previous school year ended, we were given an opportunity to select suitable candidates to be this year's set of officers. The official inductions will be a month from now, which will also be the start of this year's recruitment period. Now I'd like to call on these people who had shown much promise and have been branded worthy of being put in office. Please come to the front, Hisagi Shūhei, Kanō Ashido, Hitsugaya Tōshirō." The three aforementioned lads made their way beside the speaker as applause rang around them.

"These guys here will be your officers for this year. This," he tapped Shūhei on the shoulder, "is our Public Relations Officer and will handle the dealings of this club with the school and the other organizations." There were claps and cheers as Kaien made his way to the maroon-haired guy. "Ashido will be our treasurer. He will handle all the finances of the club, keep track of cash inflow and outflow from and for our activities, initiate fund raisers if needed and provide the necessary papers like the club's income statement." Finally, he walked to the small figure and playfully rested his hand on top of the boy's white hair. "And this little kid who shares the boy genius title with me, is our secretary. He will be in charge of this club's documentation and arrange for its recognition within the school. He shall take the minutes of all the club's meetings and submit a full report of our activities at the turnover ceremony next year for the new set of officers." Toshiro grunted at the earlier jab at his height, but let it slide.

"Now I'd like to call on the two remaining candidates, Ishida Uryū and Kurosaki Ichigo." Kaien beckoned the two forward and placed a hand on a shoulder each. "As we all know, Ishida here is our soon-to-be vice president, and Kurosaki here is the heir to the Presidential throne. This, however, may change depending on the results of his APE," Kaien announced with a smirk.

The APE or Annual Presidency Exam was a test given to each presidential candidate by the incumbent club president. It was a "test of manliness" as its creator, 3rd LMC President Kyōraku Shunsui lovingly described his brainchild. The candidate would be subject to a certain task that must be completed in 30 days starting from the day it was officially given. Failure to complete the task shall result to vice-presidential candidate automatically ascending to the throne—no APE needed—and ex-presidential candidate would be the VP.

Sounds good enough of a bargain, win or lose, ne? Of course not, for there was a catch. Being the president of LMC entailed many perks like official exemption to a lot of requirements—approved by the school principal himself—especially since being a high school senior meant loads of schoolwork before graduation on top of college applications to be filed. There was also the power as a part of the Student Council, where decisions needed to be approved by the LMC president first before plans could be realized. But aside from this, there were privileges awarded that changed yearly.

"In the event that Kurosaki fails his APE, Ishida here shall be named President, and Kurosaki shall become his subordinate." Kaien studied the two. Ishida fixed his glasses without visible emotion while Ichigo looked uninterested.

Truth be told, Ichigo didn't really want the title. Sure, he had been an active member—always had been an officer ever since his recruitment in freshman year—but he never fancied the "throne." And he was just getting ready to tell his senpai just that.

"Now that we have them introduced, I think I need to speak in private with these guys. The rest can go, I'll see you next week. Oh, and don't forget to set up our Rent-a-date booth. I want you to organize the schedules of those who will man the booth when. Remember, this is a year-round program that has been the trademark of LMC for years. Do not disappoint me." Kaien pointedly looked at the new recruits who visibly gulped, before nodding to dismiss them.

When everyone except Kaien and the 5 officers-to-be left the room, the incumbent LMC president let himself sit by the chair on the front as he laced his fingers on top of the table. "Alright. So, Kurosaki, are you ready to hear what your test is?"

"Actually, Kaien-senpai, I don't really—" Ichigo started but was cut short by the spiky-haired man whose ocean blue eyes stared piercingly at him,

"They're giving free _tickets_ to a prestigious university, Ichigo. I'm sure you'll like this. Apparently, an LMC alumnus is now a big shot there and can get someone in without the tests and all that shit. Plus a full scholarship." There was a staring contest between the two males.

"I don't want it," Ichigo said resolutely.

"_Todai, _Ichigo. Todai School of Medicine."

Ichigo froze. Thoughts of his mom and their shared dreams of him becoming a doctor someday like his father flashed through his mind. A doctor that could help cure sick people…a doctor that could save lives. A doctor that can extend the lives of those sick like his mom was. And here was a chance presenting itself to him.

Just how often could a graduate from Karakura High School, a fairly small town in Japan, get to enter Tokyo daigaku?

Ichigo scowled. Kaien sure knew how to push his buttons.

"What's the test?"

Kaien smirked at his victory. "Simple, Kurosaki. Just get a girl."

Everyone except Ichigo blinked at him in disbelief.

"Seriously?" Shūhei blurted out. Sure, Ichigo was the only one of them who never had a girlfriend before, but he could ABSOLUTELY do that, blindfolded.

Ichigo, however, knew that his senpai's wily mind had created something tricky for him in this test. So he asked, "What's the catch?"

Kaien closed his eyes for a few brief seconds. "I get to choose the girl." He pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Ichigo. "I'm giving you 30 school days, Ichigo."

"That long?" This time, it was Ashido who asked, sure that the task would be completed much earlier.

"Eh, it's protocol. Besides, he'll need it. Trust me," there was a note of mystery in Kaien's voice.

Ichigo stared at his senpai before reaching over to get the piece of paper from the older man's outstretched hand. He opened it and saw a list of class schedules and room numbers. On top of it, printed in bold and black letters, sat the words _Kuchiki Rukia._

_

* * *

_

Please stop trying to find some sense in this story, because it doesn't have it. That actually adds to the enjoyment factor (if there's any). And I hope you spotted a few random explanations to questions you might be asking now (like why Ichigo would suddenly want to take the APE just because of a scholarship. His motivation was stated briefly, and I can't give a full explanation on the first chapter, you know XD). Let's face it, scholarships are big things in real life, especially if it's for a well-known school. And Karakura is just…Karakura, a small town compared to the other parts of Japan (or at least in this story).

And no, there shall be no Ichigo-Uryu rivalry, well not the serious type.

Anyways, enough of the explanation. Tell me how this is. And then decide which one (this or Raining) would you HONESTLY want to be continued. The other will be dropped. **PLEASE VOTE ON THE POLL IN MY PROFILE.** =)

Thanks for reading and have a good day!


	2. Chapter 2

Boo! Guess who decided to get off her lazy bum and update? :) So I've been stuck with this chapter for months, plus school sucked all the motivations I had for writing. Also, I've been debating which story (this or Raining—yes the deliberation process still ain't over for me) to update first and decided to update both. Which ended in me getting stuck and updating neither. I tried, in this chapter I really tried. Sorry if it turned out crappy, I seem to have forgotten how to write again.

Nevertheless, I present this baby to you, as some sort of apology. I dedicate this chapter to **Lazy Mew** for pointing my muse the right way back to my brain. :)) Plus my birthday's coming up (1024!), and I figured hey why not get an update out on or before? So here it is. :)

Thank you to everyone who reviewed this story! I really love all of you!

By the way, who misses the Ichigo/Rukia/Ashido triangle in Schemes? No one? Just me? *shrugs*

The first part is Rukia's first day, while the succeeding parts happen on the second day of school.

**Warning:** I suck at creating OC's, so I kind of messed up Senna's character in here (not a fan, anyway) to fit the role of stereotypical bitch. If you hate Senna-bashing, I beg you, click the back button now.

I guess this is me joining the IchiRuki Highschool AU bandwagon now. Forgive my errors; English isn't my mother tongue and I have no beta.

**Disclaimer:**BLEACH isn't mine.

* * *

Rukia entered the noisy classroom that immediately fell silent as she was revealed by the open door. The teacher, who had been in the middle of roll call, stopped and looked at the new-comer with bright, shining eyes, apparently excited at the prospect of a new student.

"Oh! A new student! Well this school certainly could use a fresh face. Why, hello! It's been years since someone new enrolled in our little Karakura High, and teaching the same students have long since been boring..." the eccentric teacher rambled on, and Rukia—as well as the rest of the class, apparent from the way they gaped at their teacher—wondered if the woman was still allowed to say the things she was telling them.

"Oh what joy it would be to teach you! You look smart, and nerdy, and frail. And so cute, too! Oooh this might just be a good year, don't you think? Uhhh, what's your name again? Let's see." The teacher tapped a pen on her clipboard as she searched her class list for any unfamiliar name.

"Kuchiki...Rukia," the raven-haired girl interrupted her teacher.

"Ah, Kuchiki of course! Come and take a seat. Since this class is arranged alphabetically, sit next to...hmm, K-, K- ah, Kanō! Kanō, raise your hand please!"

A hand shot up in the air, and Rukia traced it with her eyes until she was met with a maroon-haired head. She blinked and wondered if the guy was a punk that she should be wary of, but upon seeing his cool gray eyes and his cute boyish smile, Rukia shook her head for passing judgment so easily.

Of all people, she should know how it felt like to be stereotyped at first glance.

A gentle push stopped her train of thought as the teacher pointed her towards the direction of the desk she would be occupying. Rukia slowly made her way to the designated seat as she inconspicuously eyed her classmates. Some were smiling kindly at her—an auburn-haired girl with...large gifts, in particular—while the others wore neutral expressions. A few paid no attention whatsoever to what was going on and opted to stare out the window or up at the ceiling as they waited for the spectacle to finish.

The raven-haired girl reached her desk and dropped her things as she demurely sat on her chair. She was surprised to see a hand in front of her face as she settled down. Rukia turned her head to the left where her seatmate-Kanō-was looking expectantly at her, waiting for her to take his hand, all the while wearing the same boyish smile.

"Ashido," he said in a manly, husky voice very much contrasting his innocent smile.

Rukia took his hand and was taken aback when he shook it fervently before letting go. What surprised her even more was how nonchalantly he turned his attention elsewhere after he released her hand, as if he'd done it so many times before, and done it simply out of obligation.

With the way he looked, Rukia thought he was probably used to meeting people all the time. Women, most likely. She mentally berated herself for stereotyping again.

She scanned her year-long companions and could only hope this year would be good for her.

* * *

It was the second day of classes, and Ichigo was ambling along the corridors as he dutifully read the paper in his hand over and over again. He was skipping classes today—he knew damn well that nothing _usually _happens on the first week of school, but as much as he could, he refrained from skipping because he didn't want to be labeled as some arrogant punk. But today was an exception, for he had a mission to complete.

**Kuchiki Rukia**  
_3rd year_

Schedule of classes  
Tuesday  
7:30-8:45 = Calculus, KH 421  
9:00-10:15 = Economics, KH 417  
10:30-11:45 = Physics, KH 414  
11:45-1:00 = LUNCH BREAK  
1:00-2:15 = Literature, KH 402  
2:30-3:30 = Homeroom, KH 402  
_*Short breaks are allowed during the 15-minute grace periods._

He cursed as he checked his own schedule again. He wasn't in any of this Kuchiki Rukia's classes, which was a pain because it meant he'd have to come up with some plan to meet her without looking like a stalker of sorts. He continued walking until he reached KH 421, which was her Calculus class. A quick check on his wrist watch confirmed that he was in time for her dismissal and the 15-minute grace period befor her Economics.

'Now how do I approach her?' Only then did it occur to Ichigo that he had absolutely no idea who Kuchiki Rukia was. Early that morning, coming directly to her room seemed like the best option for him, and with characteristic impulsiveness, he trudged towards her first period. 'Damn, I guess I have to investigate a little first."

The bell rang as a signal for the end of first period, and with eyes like a hawk's, Ichigo scanned the students who exited KH 421. He smirked to himself when he realized how easy this would be, considering he held her schedule in his hands. A glance at the paper revealed that her Economics was in KH 417, just a few doors away from Calculus.

He watched as some students walked towards the stairwell or the right wing. His mind was working in overdrive to keep track of the KH 421 students so he wouldn't confuse them with the others that exited the neighboring classrooms. He looked on as a group of KH 421 students walked towards 417. They'd surely disperse, and that would leave him with just a few to choose from. Just a little more, and then he would—

His jaw dropped when the entire group entered the room, followed by another, larger batch, before the final students made their way inside and closed the door.

'Damn, more than half of the class shares Econ with her?' Ichigo scowled as he made his way past the room, trying inconspicuously to peek through the small door window and scan the faces of the students inside. He finally sighed in resignation. He had more than an hour to wait for another opportunity.

* * *

Rukia mentally cursed herself as she ran through the hallways towards her Literature class. She had just come from the Registrar's to ask for another copy of her schedule (she frowned at having remembered the guy who took it and blushed when she recalled how he affectionately ruffled her hair). It was a risk, she knew, for the School Registrar's lunch hours were the same with the students, so she had to wait outside the office for the registrar to come back, and now she was at least fifteen minutes late for her next class.

Truth be told, she hadn't originally intended to get a copy because she had her schedule memorized by heart. Or so she thought until she entered a World History class when her Physics should have been, and was completely baffled when her name wasn't called during the attendance check. She had been extremely mortified as she heard whispers and muffled laughter all round her when she found out she was in the wrong room.

"I-I thought this was my Physics class…" she said in a small, embarrassed voice as her cheeks visibly blushed red.

"Physics is next door, 414."

Rukia had turned around in surprise as a white-haired boy nonchalantly answered her unspoken question. She hadn't stopped to wonder why he knew—she just nodded in appreciation and left the room, all the while apologizing to the amused sensei.

Thus the need to get another copy of her accursed schedule before the whole school knew her as the girl who always got in the wrong class. Or perhaps that was her paranoia talking.

She took a quick look on her fresh-out-of-the-printer schedule just to make sure she was heading in the right direction…

The next thing she knew, she was on the floor, trying to rid of the blank spots in her vision.

"Ow," she moaned and automatically raised a hand to the back of her head that lightly hit the wall upon her fall. 'Second day and I've already ran into people twice!'

She blinked away the blur in her field of sight and looked up at the vague orange-y figure standing right in front of her, looking through her classroom door's small window.

She had gotten lost, been embarrassed, was now extremely late for class, and had fallen flat on her behind for the second time in two days, and this guy—she squinted her eyes, yes guy (where were her glasses by the way?)—had the nerve to just stand there and not bother offering a hand to help her up! Were all the students in this school this rude? Why, he hadn't even bothered to look at her! She frowned and searched for her fallen glasses when the guy started taking backward steps away from the door. Rukia was squinting hard in search for her black-rimmed spectacles on the floor until she finally found it…

…about to be stepped on by this guy!

"Stop!"

* * *

Ichigo was pissed. He skipped his classes, waited for several hours, was growing extremely tired of waiting, and still had no single clue whatsoever to whom this Kuchiki Rukia was! He knew this was a stupid idea in the first place!

In all her previous classes, a lot of her first period classmates shared them with her, and he couldn't just pin point randomly who she was by process of elimination because there was simply too many to choose from. But finally, to his luck, in her Lit class their number had been significantly reduced to five, three of which were boys.

He stood discreetly by the back door and peeked through the tiny glass window into the room, amber eyes locking in on two female figures inside the room—one a large-breasted strawberry blonde with a pink scarf, and the other a dark-haired petite and timid girl. He knew Kaien-senpai enough not to challenge him into getting a woman as beautiful as the strawberry blonde, so his eyes remained on the small, quiet girl taking notes down. He smirked. _Finally._

He was carefully studying the girl's features when he felt a light tap against his side and heard a slight thud. He was about to turn his head but his attention was immediately diverted when the timid girl inside the room started moving around in her seat. He decided to slowly step backwards away from the door when the dark-haired petite girl started turning her head around, towards his direction by the back door. He decided he would just wait by the nearest stairwell for dismissal.

And that was when he heard it.

"Stop!"

CRRRUUUUNCCH!

"You jerk!"

He blinked dumbly and turned his head towards the source of the voice and saw a raven-haired girl staring with a mixture of disbelief and anger at his foot. He followed her gaze and saw a pair of broken eyeglasses beneath his shoe.

Realization dawned on him and he turned back to the girl only to be met by livid amethyst eyes. He opened his mouth to apologize.

"Look, I'm sor—"

"Idiot!" She cut him off as she stepped towards him and, to his surprise, viciously kicked him in the shin.

"Ow! What the hell's your problem?" Ichigo instinctively blurted out as he nursed his hurting body part.

The raven-haired girl simply stared at him with a cold glare and turned on her heels to collect her things. He noted that she missed most of them on the first try (her hand would always end up on thin air where she thought her book was).

Ichigo was left stunned as the girl entered the class and bowed to the teacher before closing the door behind her. He gazed down at the ruined spectacles and carefully lifted it off the ground, cautiously removing all the broken glass fragments before pocketing it.

This was sooo not a good day.

* * *

"Good afternoon, Miss. Would you mind reading the passage on page 6, since you oh so rudely interrupted my class?" The teacher narrowed her eyes at the new student.

Rukia, who had just finished setting her things down on her desk, slouched on her seat as she blushed from all the attention and the stares. "I-I'm sorry, sensei, I…can't read without my glasses."

The teacher raised an eyebrow. "And why, pray tell, aren't you wearing them?"

'Because a jerk broke them,' she wanted to say. Instead, Rukia slouched even lower in her chair. She wanted to just disappear from severe mortification. "I…forgot them this morning."

The teacher didn't bother concealing her disbelief at such a lame excuse but turned her attention away.

Rukia felt the lingering glances of her classmates from previous classes and fought to keep her attention straight in front of her (which was hard considering her vision was kinda hazy). From her peripheral vision, she saw a blurry swish of orange outside the classroom door window and frowned.

Too much for hoping for a good start this year.

* * *

The bell finally rang and Ichigo stood up from his spot on the stairs and watched the students walk out of their respective classrooms to go home, as there was no homeroom for the first week of classes. He eyed the strawberry-haired woman with the pink scarf as she walked towards the stairs and threw him a glance and a smile.

Nope, not her, that was for sure. He started walking towards the classroom door when the crowd thinned and immediately spotted the timid, dark-haired girl. She was quietly fixing her things as did the other students, he absently noted as he scanned the room. On one corner he saw the raven-haired girl from earlier taking her bag and stuff and preparing to leave. She walked towards the door where the orange-haired guy stood, carefully looking at the floor perhaps watching her steps so she wouldn't trip. She abruptly stopped when she saw a pair of shoes in her way and looked up to see him, the jerk who broke her glasses. She glared at Ichigo before walking past him.

He would've said something but he realized the timid girl—Kuchiki Rukia—was already making her way towards his general direction. He cleared his throat just as the dark-haired petite form neared him.

"Excuse me," Kurosaki Ichigo, member of LMC said, putting on his charm.

The timid girl looked up at him with wide eyes with what he supposed was recognition, not that he was being cocky about it. It was just a fact that being in the LMC meant students knew them. "H-hai?"

"Hi, I'm Kurosaki Ichigo. My friend picked this up," he showed her a piece of paper, "in the hallway yesterday and asked me to return it to you." He grinned charmingly to dispel any form of doubt or suspicion in the girl's mind.

She quietly reached her hand out for the piece of paper and read its contents.

Ichigo expected a squeal—she looked like the squealing type that loved cute little trinkets—and a profuse shower of 'thank you's". But what came out of her mouth next shocked him.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You got the wrong person. I'm Hinamori Momo."

Ichigo blinked stupidly—he mentally slapped himself for doing this dumb thing a lot recently—before asking, finally (why he never bothered before was simply a matter of ego, something about not needing help or something), "Then…who is Kuchiki Rukia?"

Momo smiled and poked her head out the door before pointing at a rapidly retreating figure down in the hallway. Ichigo followed the timid girl's finger and saw the raven-haired girl whose glasses he broke.

_Oh, hell no._

* * *

Hmmm, do you smell a Rukia harem in the making? Lol. I kid. And no boys over flowers/hana yori dango stuff too, no matter how similar you might think the themes are. That's probably 'cause this fic is cliché.

Okay! So I know it was short, and not really my best chapter, but hey at least I tried. XD And you may be thinking how extremely out of character they were acting, but let's not forget that they each have their own motivations that affect the way they act. If that still doesn't justify the OOC-ness, then please accept my sincere apologies.

Oh yeah, the broekn glasses thing had been guessed by AnimeFanx3. Though I think a lot of you were expecting that, too. :D

**Poll's still on my profile (Raining vs Motivations), please take the time to vote. :D**

This story has a higher chance of being dropped based on feedback (or lack thereof) so I apologize in advance to everyone who put it on alert and favorited it.

If it's not too much to ask, can you please leave me a review? I missed hearing(reading) from you guys.


End file.
